Anyone else getting harrassing questions from ebay members?

On 9 Dec 2005 05:06:20 -0800, Frank Provasek wrote:
I guess I was stupid a few weeks ago to state that I don't hide my
replies to
questions asked by ebay members during open auctions. Since that time,
I received
at least 5 from recently created accounts with the usual
comments...shill bidder, spammer,
child molester, kill yourself now, etc. Of course, since they didn't
actually bid, I cannot
even have access to their contact information. I sent these into
ebay...they accounts are
still active, but have not been used. Apparently they were created
just for harassment
purposes. Anyone else have similar experiences?

If you didn't post this on the eBay discussion group, then there's a
post an awful lot like this one there. My stuff doesn't get noticed,
apparently.

On Fri, 09 Dec 2005 13:49:03 GMT, Wes Chormicle wrote:
Last week I get the following email from a potential eBay bidder. BTW, this
was on a $400 coin.

"I notice you charge $4 for Priority Mail. I know for a fact that you only
pay $3.85 postage through the P.O. web site. If you want my business, I
will only pay the $3.85 Postal charge."

And your time is worth nothing? Give me a break. I charge a buck
shipping for the first coin, and a dime for each additional. Does it
cost a buck ten to ship two coins? Nope, it's either 37 or 60 cents.
Plus envelope. Plus the cardboard packaging. Plus 3 cents a piece for
the glasine envelopes. Plus tape, ink, my time... yeah, it's a buck ten
to ship two coins, and I might pay 37 or 60 cents.

Customers like that, you don't need.

I replied, "Yes, you caught me. I have been over charging 15 cents for
years now. That 15 cents over the years has turned into a very tidy sum and
has helped pay for some of our exotic vacations. If I make an exception for
you, then soon I would have to make it for everyone." Seriously, I like
round numbers. If you think that 15 cents is "gouging", then I think you
should take your business elsewhere.

Good response.

"Frank Provasek" wrote in
ups.com:

I guess I was stupid a few weeks ago to state that I don't hide my
replies to
questions asked by ebay members during open auctions. Since that
time, I received
at least 5 from recently created accounts with the usual
comments...shill bidder, spammer,
child molester, kill yourself now, etc. Of course, since they
didn't actually bid, I cannot
even have access to their contact information. I sent these into
ebay...they accounts are
still active, but have not been used. Apparently they were created
just for harassment
purposes. Anyone else have similar experiences?

Oddly, I had one question on an expensive coin which required
registration and
insurance, which I charged $13.95 total for shipping (I didn't make
any profit on the
shipping)

I got a question from a member with active buying and selling
activity and feedback of 878.


"Why are you charging $15 for shipping on an item that costs less
than a dollar? Are you selling postage or a coin?"

After I sent a reply asking how he could ask such a question since
he was a regular
ebay seller, his reply was:

"My question? What question? Bwtter get your ducks in a row...."

All of this was sent through the ebay message system, so it wasn't
a case of
someone forging an email address....

---

I have dealt with the general public in a brick and mortar coin
store for ten years,
dealt with people face to face for nearly 40 years, and sold
through the mail, but the
INSANITY of ebay and newsgroup people just about has me ready to go
back to
dealing "the old fashioned way"


I understand that another RCCer was taking a lot of flak from a number
of sock-puppets of a certain quick-to-sue-for-no-apparent-reason third-
tier "grading service". They even kept trying bid on his auctions, just
to win and give him negative feedback. They left him threatening emails.
The whole gamut.

Some people just get a kick out of being a-holes.

It's not just you that gets these kinds of problems - It happens to the
best of 'em.

--
Eric Babula
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

"Wes Chormicle" wrote in
k.net:

Last week I get the following email from a potential eBay bidder.
BTW, this was on a $400 coin.

"I notice you charge $4 for Priority Mail. I know for a fact that
you only pay $3.85 postage through the P.O. web site. If you want
my business, I will only pay the $3.85 Postal charge."

I replied, "Yes, you caught me. I have been over charging 15 cents
for years now. That 15 cents over the years has turned into a very
tidy sum and has helped pay for some of our exotic vacations. If I
make an exception for you, then soon I would have to make it for
everyone." Seriously, I like round numbers. If you think that 15
cents is "gouging", then I think you should take your business
elsewhere.



Now, that's just asenine! OMG!!! Overcharging $0.15 - that's just
immoral!! ;-)

Personally, on an item that costs you $3.85 postage, I, as a buyer,
would have no problem if you charged $5.00. Afterall, it costs you for
not only the $3.85 postage, but for bubble wrap, gas to get to the P.O.,
your time to package and send the item, plus Delivery Confirmation, if
you do that (and, I would highly suggest it on a $400 coin, if you
don't), etc. $5.00 would not be unreasonable to me.

But, then, I'm a realist - not an a-hole......usually.

BTW - I liked your response! Very appropriate!

--
Eric Babula
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Speak softly and wear a loud shirt.

"Frank Provasek" wrote in message
ups.com...
I guess I was stupid a few weeks ago to state that I don't hide my
replies to
questions asked by ebay members during open auctions. Since that time,
I received
at least 5 from recently created accounts with the usual
comments...shill bidder, spammer,
child molester, kill yourself now, etc. Of course, since they didn't
actually bid, I cannot
even have access to their contact information. I sent these into
ebay...they accounts are
still active, but have not been used. Apparently they were created
just for harassment
purposes. Anyone else have similar experiences?

Oddly, I had one question on an expensive coin which required
registration and
insurance, which I charged $13.95 total for shipping (I didn't make any
profit on the
shipping)

I got a question from a member with active buying and selling activity
and feedback of 878.


"Why are you charging $15 for shipping on an item that costs less than
a dollar? Are you selling postage or a coin?"

After I sent a reply asking how he could ask such a question since he
was a regular
ebay seller, his reply was:

"My question? What question? Bwtter get your ducks in a row...."

All of this was sent through the ebay message system, so it wasn't a
case of
someone forging an email address....

---

I have dealt with the general public in a brick and mortar coin store
for ten years,
dealt with people face to face for nearly 40 years, and sold through
the mail, but the
INSANITY of ebay and newsgroup people just about has me ready to go
back to
dealing "the old fashioned way"

Actually, when you reply to the question YOU choose whether or not to make
it public and part of your ad. Just don't make it public.

Jonathan_ATC